Nidation
/ˌnaɪˈdeɪʃən/noun
The implantation of a fertilized egg in the lining of the uterus.
Did you know?Nidation comes from Latin nidus, meaning “nest,” the same ancient root behind words like nest and nestling, so the medical term still carries the image of a hidden place where life settles in.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
nidus
“nest”
Late Latin
Latin
nidatio
“a nesting; setting into a nest”
17th–19th Century
French
nidation
“nesting, especially the implantation of an embryo”
Modern English
English
nidation
“implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus”